Second Chances
by pesterhopper
Summary: AU. Kal-El thinks he has lost everything when Diana reveals something she has been hiding from him for years.


_Six years ago_

_Gotham _Prison

_Gotham City_

Kal-El breaks into the interrogation room, he sees Batman facing a seated Joker. In a swift motion, he comes between Batman and the Joker and drives his fist into the Joker's chest. He pulls out his arm and lets the Joker's lifeless body fall to the ground.

Standing over the Joker's lifeless body, Kal-El says to Batman, "I've crossed the line, Bruce. I took a life. I'm turning myself in."

* * *

_Present time_

_Royal Palace_

_Themyscira_

"Mother! I missed you so much! Why did you take so long to get home from Man's World?" says a little girl as she rushes into Diana's arms. "I'm so sorry my little one. I had a lot to attend to at the embassy. Today I shall make it up to you. We shall go horseback riding as soon as I get changed. Afterwards, we shall go to our favorite place by the falls and I shall tell you stories about Man's World" replies Diana as she wraps the child in a motherly embrace. "Really, Mother? I would love that. Thank you!" said the girl. "Go to your room and change, my child. I'll be there shortly," said Diana as she went to her room.

* * *

_Belle Reve Federal Penitentiary_

_Terrebonne Parish, Louisiana_

Kal-El passed his time writing in his notebook. In his first two and a half years in Belle Reve he had managed to get into fights with every supervillain who wanted to prove their mettle against him. Despite being depowered by the inhibitor collar, he still managed to send most of his opponents to the infirmary. These days, he rarely interacted with the other inmates and kept mostly to himself. Kal-El had finally learned to accept the circumstances that led him to this point in his life. At last he has found a semblance of peace.

A prison guard came up to his cell and said through the door, "You have a visitor, inmate. Back to the door, please." The guard places handcuffs on him and leads him to the visitation area.

Batman stands at the opposite side of the carbonate glass barrier.

"How's it going, Kent?"

"I've been writing again. I'm also knitting. I'd knit you a mean cardigan, if you like," Kal-El said with a chuckle.

"Good to hear that. You need anything?"

"Couple more notebooks would be good. I could also use some yarn."

"I'll see what I can do."

Noticing his friend's positive outlook, Batman asks, "Have you finally let it go?"

"Yes, I did. It was kind of difficult for me two and a half years ago. I got into a lot of fights. I was really self destructive. Don't get me wrong, I still have a few bad days but I can't just mope around and feel sorry for myself. If Lois were alive, she would probably kick my ass," says Kal-El as he rubs the back of his head and laughs.

"I'm happy for you Kent," said Batman.

"How's Diana?" Kal-El asks about his bestfriend.

"Diana left the League after you were convicted and sent here. She's now ambassador of Themyscira. Artemis of the Bana-Mighdall has taken over for her as Wonder Woman. Diana wasn't the same after Metropolis. We don't see each other that much anymore."

"Oh, I see. If you ever get to see Diana, tell her I said hello."

"Will do Kent. I have to go. See you again in a month."

"See you, Bruce."

* * *

_Royal Palace_

_Themyscira_

From a balcony across the throne room, Diana was watching the child she named Chloe playing with her minders. She smiled as she heard Clea's laughter. This child is a part of Kal and she will love Chloe as her own she thought to herself.

Seeing Diana on the balcony, Hippolyta made her way to Diana's side and asked, "When will you tell him, Diana?"

"Tell whom what, Mother?"

"Don't play coy with me, daughter. When will you tell Kal-El that you have his daughter under your care?"

"I don't know if I should, mother. It's been a long time and I just don't know if I could face him and tell him I took Chloe for my own. I'm afraid he might reject me."

"You love Kal-El. Don't you, daughter?" Hippolyta asks even if she knew what Diana's answer will be.

"I do, mother. With my entire being. I took Chloe because she is a part of Kal. If I could not have him for myself then I would settle for being Chloe's mother. Am I being selfish? Does this make me less of an amazon?" Diana replies as tears welled up in her eyes.

Hippolyta embraces Diana and says, "Hush, child. You are not selfish. Remember, you are an amazon and you are a woman who is capable of falling in love. But know this, if you really love Kal-El then you must tell him about Chloe. And as much as I love Chloe as my granddaughter, we must abide with the decisions he would make in her behalf."

* * *

_Themysciran Embassy_

_Metropolis_

"Diana, an Inspector John Jones to see you," says Julia Kapatelis as she looks into Diana's office.

Diana looks up from her desk and replies, "Please send him in. Thank you, Julia."

"J'onn, so nice to see you again. Thank you for coming on such short notice," says Diana as she embraced the Martian Manhunter.

"The pleasure is all mine, Ambassador," J'onn says as he returned her embrace.

"Shush, J'onn. Just Diana," she chided as she motions J'onn to sit across from her.

"I take it we're going to talk about Kal-El," says J'onn.

"You certainly don't beat around the bush. Don't you J'onn? Am I that obvious?" Diana responds slightly flustered.

"Let's just say I have seen the connection between you and Kal-El all those years ago. What is it that you want to tell me, Diana?"

Diana lets out a sigh as she starts to speak, "Remember when I went looking for Kal in Metropolis after the explosion? Kal told me to watch over Lois as he went after the Joker. As I held Lois, I noticed a faint heartbeat coming from her womb. I took her immediately to Themyscira via the portal here in the embassy to save the child."

"This child, a daughter. She is under your care."

"Yes, I named her Chloe. I have grown to love her as if she were my own flesh and blood. Mother tells me that I should tell Kal. But I don't know how to face him. I have kept this a secret for six years. What if he gets angry at what I have done? What am I to do, J'onn? I do not want him to push me away. I, I love him. I always will. Help me, J'onn. I am at my wits' end," says Diana covering her face with her hands.

J'onn sighs and then says, "I'll see what I can do. I will arrange for you to visit Kal-El. Don't worry as it will be done discreetly."

"Thank you J'onn," Diana says as she embraces him as he left her office.

* * *

_Belle Reve Federal Penitentiary_

_Terrebonne Parish, Louisiana_

Kal-El is led outside a conference room. The prison guard uncuffs him and motions for him to enter.

As the guard opens the door for Kal-El, he is welcomed by a familiar scent, that of orchids and fire. He enters and sees Diana sitting with the Martian Manhunter in his human form of Inspector John Jones.

"Kal!" says Diana as she rushes towards Kal-El and pulls him into an embrace. Kal-El was surprised by Diana's greeting but returns the embrace anyway. Diana's warmth immediately put him at ease. His bestfriend was here to visit him.

After Diana, Kal-El and J'onn had shared their pleasantries. Diana motioned for Kal-El to sit down. Diana was nervous but she had resolved that today she would come clean and tell Kal-El the truth.

"Kal, I have a confession to make. I hope you will forgive me," said Diana. Her heart was beating so fast that she had to will herself to talk in a calm manner.

She continued, "Remember, when you told me to watch over Lois? I, I heard a heartbeat coming from Lois' womb. I immediately took her to Themyscira to save the child. It was touch and go for her because Lois had been deceased for sometime. Your child fought hard and because she was part Kryptonian, she survived."

Diana takes out her smartphone and shows Kal-El pictures of Chloe. "I'm sorry I kept her from you, Kal. I should have come to you sooner," says Diana as her voice started to quiver.

"What did you name her?" Kal-El asks Diana.

"I named her Chloe."

"Does she know about me?"

"Not yet, Kal. But I intend to tell her about you soon," Diana replies and covers her face with her hands.

Kal-El reaches out to Diana and embraces her. He kisses her hair and says, "You don't have to apologize for anything, Diana. You did what you had to do at the when it was needed. I am very thankful you were there for Chloe and in a way, for me."

They stayed in that embrace for a time until J'onn cleared his throat. Kal-El and Diana broke the embrace at the same time, they looked at each other and laughed.

After catching up and reluctantly saying their goodbyes, Kal-El and Diana had come to an agreement that she will tell Chloe about him.

"Thank you, Diana," said Kal-El as he gives her a final embrace before he is called to return to his cell.

Diana lets herself sink into Kal-El's embrace as she replies, "It is I who must thank you, Kal. I will try to arrange another visit soon."


End file.
